1/27/2012

2012 Integrity Toys Reveal

IT is unveiling new dolls at IDEX.

First up, the Monogram dolls are the clear winners. Someone (new, perhaps?) designed this line and made a 180° turn from the direction they had taken in the past year. They went from dowdy (Bemused, Envied & Passionate) and WWTT to stylish and classy the way they were the first two years and maybe even better.

There are five dressed dolls offered. From what I can see, three of them (2,4,5) have the original sculpt and two have caught the puffy-Poppy-upper-lip-thing. All the fashions are stunning except the one in the middle which doesn't seem suited or fitted to the doll's scale and size. However, the accessories from that ensemble are lovely.
The blonde one on the end seems to be channeling Hollywood glamour - maybe Marilyn. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked two of these five enough to pre-order them! SHOCK!
The price has gone up $10 per doll to $160. Must be for the lashes. Yes, Monogram dolls now sport lashes.
I predict there will be issues with the hair bump on #2 - as it looks uneven in this picture already.

Congratulations to the designer of the Monogram dolls for this success. Don't let the bastards get you down.

The other doll I was impressed with is the Gretel doll from the Hansel and Gretel Nu.Fantasy duo. The dolls are available separately - they are not a set.

This description cracked me up: "This
high fashion reinterpretation of the traditional German folk tale has
Hansel and Gretel looking fabulous while lost in the woods. They are
ready to take on any old witch or fashionista."
I hope her hair is as fabulous in the production doll as it looks in the promo. I also hope the fashion doesn't stain her body. Why? Because I pre-ordered her, too. ($135.)

Poppy Parker shows up with Chip. When I read that name all I could think of is Chip and Dale, computer chips, corn chips and those California Highway guys on bikes, CHiPs.

They should have named him Biff. Anyway, he's not a looker. He's just an expensive Ken with a blank, expressionless face. His tuxedo and shoes are very nice.
Poppy's dress is a vintage 50's prom dress style in deep coral.
Darla comes with the microphone. She is not part of the set. Her dress is more sophisticated as is her hairstyle. She has a little Jackie Kennedy style going on. Is she supposed to be older than Poppy?

The line features two dressed dolls and two giftsets. If you like Poppy, you will like these sets.

These are the two dressed dolls. They retail for $125. each.
The giftsets each have multiple outfits and accessories.

And now for the part of the collection I think is the least impressive - the Avantguard16 (FR16) and the Giant Poppys.

I am completely unimpressed with these four dolls. Their facial screening is cartoon-like and I don't care for any of the fashions. I did have the opportunity to examine the FR16 body and I will not be buying any doll on that body. I originally thought that these dolls might be good body donors for the Avantguard dolls I already have whose bodies are yellowed and floppy. The new bodies are just as lightweight and wobbly. The size has changed as well which will create more problems for redressers. Retail price $175. That's interesting. The 12" FR2s were also $175. I suppose a little extra vinyl and fabric doesn't amount to very much.

The giant Poppys are unappealing. The fashions are acceptable enough for the era they are supposed to represent but with the increased size, that phony-looking upper lip has grown to what looks like a clothespin has been pinching it. These dolls retail for $150. each.

There's bee stung lips and there's deformity. Hey...to each his own. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Seems like IT is counting on the success of the little Poppys and trying to bring collectors into the 16" world. They'd better be careful because if the minions start collecting 16" dolls, they might discover a whole world of gorgeous 16" dolls out there that aren't made by IT and that have different lips from each other. I must do a collage of IT lips - 2011-2. Waldo will be in there for sure.

This line is called Teen Poppy. Aren't the little Poppy dolls teens, too?

25 comments:

Thanks Terri, I'm not impressed with the FR16 either. Spring Kissed seemed pretty crudely made with sloppy seams. I only got her to make into a giant Poppy.... so now I can buy an actual giant Poppy and dump Spring Kissed.Will C.

I'm always fascinated by the differences in tastes that exist in the doll collecting community. You've been pretty critical of the FR16 and the Poppy Parker Fashion Teen collections and seemed very pleased with the Tonner collection revealed for IDEX. I, on the other hand, think the Integrity products are outstanding, and while also a Tonner fan as well, found most of the collection to be somewhat pedestrian and uninspired. This perspective has resulted in my purchasing 18 of the Integrity products on pre-order (all but 2 of the FR16s and I haven't yet secured a Gretel) and just one of the Tonner products (the Just Right Cami) though I am considering the red Cami ensemble and one of the Ellowynes looks promising. Fascinating indeed.

I am not a collector of the big girls. I briefly collected 16 inch but after getting over the initial awe of them, I realized my heart belonged to 12 girls. However, I love the 16 inch Poppy line and hope that it is successful. I don't think that collectors of Poppy Teen will necessarily move on to Sybarites for instance because the style is so different.

I have noticed that some old school FR collectors really dislike Poppy and some seem resentful of her success. While I found Poppy adorable from the beginning, I do not collect her (I collect Darla). However, I am happy for her success as I believe the more success IT has overall, the more likely I can still get dolls I do collect.

I will add that I realize IT is not perfect. Quality control issues are occurring much too frequently. However, I do believe that IT is trying to improve this and that they genuinely care about the product they create.

I have been an adult collector since 2003. I started with Mattel but eventually moved on the IT in 2005 after becoming unsatisfied with Barbie Collector. (Even as a kid I never primarily collected Mattel). I continue to solely collect their dolls because they produce dolls that I love and who fit within the narrow confines of what I collect.

That said I was least impressed with the FR16 but would have snapped up Freja in a heart beat if I collected big girls. For a brief moment I reconsidered my ban on 16 inch girls. I agree that Chip is devoid of personality but would not have purchased him either way. I loved most of the Monograms and agree that this is a return to the line's roots.

I don't agree about Poppy's lips (which I think is her best feature 12 or 16 inch) and I think the bride Poppy Teen is beautiful. The Sabrina line is perfection and the BAT line would have been better received had it been presented as "Poppy as Holly Golightly". I really hope to pick up some of these fashions for my Darlas/Monograms.

That said I preordered Admiration (I am getting two/one nude through a split) and Darla.

I was impressed with the Monogram line, and hope it continues in this direction. I didn't preorder any, since my budget is slotted for FR2 right now.

The NuFantasty Lilith/Eden was also interesting. I hope she looks as good in production.

I don't collect 16" girls. But I agree that the makeup is lacking. Why don't they BLEND the eyeshadow?? The 16" Poppies look freakish to me.

I really dislike Poppy, especially her lips. My dislike of Poppy only got stronger when they gave Vanessa those horrid lips. I was enraged. At that point, dislike became detest. She always looks like she is trying to talk, but doesn't have the ability to find the words.

Reading everyone's views here has been fascinating - beauty really IS in the eye of the beholder, for instance my favourite of the new Monograms is "Exaggeration," the centre one in your photographs, whereas this Lilith/Eden leaves me cold if I'm honest.

But for the first time I rather like the look of Darla - her hair and gown are very sophisticated this time around.

But each to their own and thank goodness our tastes are so diverse, I say. As a new collector of Fashion Royalty I'm excited by everything and can't wait to see what new delights are revealed as the year progresses!

I thought that the fashion was actually an homage to the Revlon Fire and Ice campaign from the 50's. See ad at this space http://www.themakeupblogger.com/celebrity_makeup_artist_c/2010/02/revlon-fire-and-ice-lipstick.html

The Monogram's were fantastic! I actually liked every one of them. I wish that they would offer those fashions separately. I love the metallic touches they use in their eye shadow.

I like the fashions from the FR16 line but not crazy about the dolls screening. Something is missing and I can't put a finger on it? Maybe the blending of the eyes? Maybe they are going for a more dramatic look by not blending the crease of the eye shadow. It's just not to my taste though I don't find them unattractive.

I think this is the best Darla yet as well. And I am going to try for all of those giant Poppy's. I love them. Poppy's sculpt is one of my favorites. I haven't been a fan of the mod fashions, but I've found ways to fit her in to my collection. She's Michael's favorite out of all of the sculpts. I think it's funny. He gives me a hard time if I ever sell one.

I thought Chip was adorable. He needs some blue suede shoes, stat! I would have bought him if he had been sold separately.

Hansel cracks me up. He is really channeling A Flock of Seagulls. He needs a skateboard and a Depeche Mode T-shirt. I think I dated him in the 90's. hehe! Gretel is gorgeous as she has the Eden sculpt. I'm just not into the fashions these two are wearing so I skipped over them. I'm sure they will redress well.

The Sabrina's are elegant and beautiful. I'm not a fan of hair cut that short on dolls as I can never style it. I hope I can snag the fashions though I won't hold out hope. I have a feeling the fashions are what are going to drive most of the purchases from this grouping. I bought every Breakfast at Tiffany's doll just for the fashions. And funny, I was planning on putting them on my BG Poppy.

Hi TerriWhenever people say "I don't like that...I always think ... goody, then there might be enough left for me..." So, I am very selfish - and also hate it when a doll beceomes extremely hard to get or overpriced on the secondary market! However, you naughty girl, you like what I like (mostly). I have drawn a line in the sand and will not and cannot collect 16inch as they are too big for my house now as I have so many 11-12 girls. Freja was the only one I liked enough to consider buying. The Poppys in 16 inch I did like but would never buy them (the orange hair I did not like though). I dont like the poppy they keep turning into audrey - I just don't like the face styling and really do not like to collect dolls made in the image of celebrities or movies (however, do not tell anyone I have Carol Roth and Katy Perry) as that is a big secret.

I do not buy them in Barbies and cannot see myself doing it with IT. Some of my dearest doll buddies buy nothing else though so I can see the interest.

I have always loved the monograms but they are just too pricey. I love the one in silver and red the most but have seen a number of similarly styled outfits and I think Marirose also did something along those lines using the body suit of vintage babs dinner at 8 with a similar red coat (??? could be wrong???)

I also love the AA one who is gorgeous. If anything my fave doll and outfit has to be Darla - I rarely buy any AA dolls but she is just such a sweetie I love her. I also like the Chip and Poppy giftset a lot but dislike the dress and find him a bit bland and if it is too hard to get will propbably just maybe get Darla of all those dolls on offer.

There will always be more and as my collecting focuses on Eugenia hoping she will be gorgeous this year...

I think this Darla is the best yet. They finally gave her a lovely gown and didn't make her freaky or mannish looking. I hope you will be able to get her! Besides the Adeles from the past, IT seems to be able to get the AA Monogram dolls right. I love them! T

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When I switched photo servers a few years ago, many of my images were lost in a black hole. If you are going back in time throughout my blog, you will come across these black holes. It's unfortunate but it would take me a huge amount of time to identify and republish the images. If there is a specific one you are very interested in, email me with the date of the post and I will try to get it for you.Thanks for your continued interest in my blog!Terri